Twenty-On
Western Pacific
Tropical Depression · WP212026
20.4°N,
167.7°E
Moving N at 7 mph
Max Winds
35 mph
Pressure
1000 mb
Forecast Points
7
JMA Winds (10-min avg)
30.0 kt
JMA Pressure
1004.0 hPa
JMA (10-min average): tracked, no typhoon number assigned
Summary
Tropical Depression 21W is currently a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It is tracking northward at about 7 mph, and the forecast calls for it to strengthen into a tropical storm while continuing generally north to north-northwest over the next few days.
As of 270000Z, the center was near 20.4N 167.7E, about 91 nautical miles northeast of Wake Island. The system is expected to accelerate northward over the next 12 to 24 hours, then turn gradually toward the north-northwest after about 12 hours and maintain that general track through about 72 hours.
Forecast intensity peaks around 50 knots (about 58 mph) by 48 hours. After that, the storm is expected to weaken rapidly as wind shear increases and dry air moves in, and it is forecast to begin becoming subtropical by about 72 hours, with subtropical transition complete by no later than 96 hours.
Key messages
- Tropical Depression 21W has 35 mph sustained winds and is moving northward, with strengthening expected soon.
- The storm is forecast to peak near 58 mph (tropical storm strength) around 48 hours before weakening rapidly afterward.
- By about 72 hours it is expected to start becoming subtropical, with subtropical transition complete by no later than 96 hours.
Forecast intensity
JTWC forecast maximum sustained winds (mph) by hour.
Satellite Imagery (IR)
CIRA/RAMMB · 27 Aug 03:40 UTC
JTWC Warning #1 27 Aug 00:00 UTC
WTPN32 PGTW 270300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) WARNING NR 001//
RMKS/
1. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) WARNING NR 001
03 ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONES IN NORTHWESTPAC
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS BASED ON ONE-MINUTE AVERAGE
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
---
WARNING POSITION:
270000Z --- NEAR 20.4N 167.7E
MOVEMENT PAST SIX HOURS - 010 DEGREES AT 06 KTS
POSITION ACCURATE TO WITHIN 060 NM
POSITION BASED ON CENTER LOCATED BY SATELLITE
PRESENT WIND DISTRIBUTION:
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 030 KT, GUSTS 040 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
REPEAT POSIT: 20.4N 167.7E
---
FORECASTS:
12 HRS, VALID AT:
271200Z --- 22.0N 168.1E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 040 KT, GUSTS 050 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 060 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
060 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
010 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
VECTOR TO 24 HR POSIT: 350 DEG/ 09 KTS
---
24 HRS, VALID AT:
280000Z --- 23.7N 167.8E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 045 KT, GUSTS 055 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 090 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
060 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
VECTOR TO 36 HR POSIT: 345 DEG/ 08 KTS
---
36 HRS, VALID AT:
281200Z --- 25.2N 167.3E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 030 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
020 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 110 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
030 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
VECTOR TO 48 HR POSIT: 350 DEG/ 09 KTS
---
EXTENDED OUTLOOK:
48 HRS, VALID AT:
290000Z --- 27.0N 166.9E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 050 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 130 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
110 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
VECTOR TO 60 HR POSIT: 345 DEG/ 11 KTS
---
60 HRS, VALID AT:
291200Z --- 29.2N 166.2E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 050 KT, GUSTS 065 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
RADIUS OF 050 KT WINDS - 050 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
030 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
020 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
030 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 140 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
090 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
080 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
VECTOR TO 72 HR POSIT: 340 DEG/ 09 KTS
---
72 HRS, VALID AT:
300000Z --- 31.0N 165.5E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 045 KT, GUSTS 055 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
BECOMING SUBTROPICAL
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 100 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
090 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
050 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
070 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
VECTOR TO 96 HR POSIT: 010 DEG/ 05 KTS
---
LONG RANGE OUTLOOK:
---
96 HRS, VALID AT:
310000Z --- 32.9N 165.8E
MAX SUSTAINED WINDS - 035 KT, GUSTS 045 KT
WIND RADII VALID OVER OPEN WATER ONLY
SUBTROPICAL
RADIUS OF 034 KT WINDS - 150 NM NORTHEAST QUADRANT
100 NM SOUTHEAST QUADRANT
060 NM SOUTHWEST QUADRANT
050 NM NORTHWEST QUADRANT
---
REMARKS:
270300Z POSITION NEAR 20.8N 167.8E.27AUG26. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W
(TWENTYONE), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 91 NM NORTHEAST OF WAKE ISLAND, HAS
TRACKED NORTHWARD AT 06 KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE AT 270000Z IS 1000 MB. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT AT
270000Z IS 12 FEET. NEXT WARNINGS AT 270900Z, 271500Z, 272100Z AND
280300Z. REFER TO TYPHOON 17W (SAUDEL) WARNINGS (WTPN31 PGTW) FOR SIX-
HOURLY UPDATES. REFER TO TROPICAL DEPRESSION 20W (TWENTY) WARNINGS
(WTPN33 PGTW) FOR SIX-HOURLY UPDATES.//
NNNN
Forecast Reasoning 27 Aug 03:00 UTC
WDPN32 PGTW 270300 MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI// SUBJ/PROGNOSTIC REASONING FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION 21W (TWENTYONE) WARNING NR 001// RMKS/ 1. FOR METEOROLOGISTS. 2. 6 HOUR SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS. SUMMARY: INITIAL POSITION: 20.4N 167.7E INITIAL INTENSITY: 30 KTS GEOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: 91 NM NORTHEAST OF WAKE ISLAND MOVEMENT PAST 6 HOURS: NORTHWARD AT 06 KTS SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT: 12 FEET SATELLITE ANALYSIS, INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY DISCUSSION: ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY (MSI) DEPICTS A RAPIDLY CONSOLIDATING, BUT STILL DISORGANIZED, SYSTEM WITH A PARTIALLY EXPOSED LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) FLARING DEEP CONVECTION ALIGNED ALONG THE SOUTHEASTERN FLANK. A 262127Z ASCAT-B PASS REVEALED A COMPACT BUT WELL-DEFINED LLCC, HAVING CLOSED OFF AND CONSOLIDATED SINCE THE PREVIOUS SCATTEROMETER PASS 12 HOURS PRIOR. THE SCATTEROMETER DATA SHOWED A RELATIVELY LARGE, BUT ASYMMETRIC WIND FIELD, WITH LIGHT WINDS ALONG THE WESTERN FLANK AND 25-30 KNOTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE EASTERN HEMISPHERE OF THE CIRCULATION. THE SCATTEROMETER DATA WAS THE PRIMARY DATA SUPPORTING HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THE INITIAL POSITION AND INTENSITY. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE, CHARACTERIZED BY VERY WARM SSTS, HIGH OHC, STRONG POLEWARD OUTFLOW ALOFT AND LOW VERTICAL WIND SHEAR. INITIAL WIND RADII BASIS: NOT APPLICABLE (THERE ARE NO INITIAL WIND RADII). CURRENT STEERING MECHANISM: WESTERN FLANK OF A LOW TO MID-LEVEL EXTENSION OF A SUBTROPICAL RIDGE (STR) TO THE EAST. AGENCY DVORAK AND AUTOMATED FIXES: PGTW: T1.5 - 25 KTS FORECASTER ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: FAVORABLE VWS: 5-10 KTS SST: 29-30 CELSIUS OUTFLOW: STRONG POLEWARD ANALYSIS CONFIDENCE: INITIAL POSITION: HIGH INITIAL INTENSITY: HIGH INITIAL WIND RADII: NOT APPLICABLE 3. FORECAST REASONING. SIGNIFICANT FORECAST CHANGES: THIS INITIAL PROGNOSTIC REASONING MESSAGE ESTABLISHES THE FORECAST PHILOSOPHY. FORECAST DISCUSSION: TROPICAL DEPRESSION (TD) 21W IS CURRENTLY MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWARD ALONG THE BUILDING EXTENSION OF THE STR CENTERED TO THE NORTHEAST. AS THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO BUILD, AND TD 21W INTENSIFIES, THE GRADIENT WILL STRENGTHEN, RESULTING IN TD 21 ACCELERATING NORTHWARD OVER THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. A GRADUAL TURN NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD IS EXPECTED AFTER TAU 12, WITH THE SYSTEM MAINTAINING THIS GENERAL TRAJECTORY THROUGH TAU 72. BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD, THE STR BUILDS INTO THE SOUTH OF TD 21W, RESULTING IN A TURN BACK TO THE NORTHEAST BY TAU 96. OF NOTE, THE SYSTEM IS THE DOMINANT SYSTEM IN A BINARY INTERACTION WITH TD 20W TO THE SOUTHWEST. 20W IS FORECAST TO BE CAPTURED BY AND ULTIMATELY MERGE WITH THE BROAD WIND FIELD ASSOCIATED WITH 21W BY TAU 72. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT SIZE DIFFERENCE, THE IMPACT OF THE MERGER ON THE TRACK OF 21W WILL BE MINIMAL. REGARDING INTENSITY, ONCE THE SYSTEM ACHIEVES SYMMETRIZATION IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS, IT WILL LAUNCH A PERIOD OF INTENSIFICATION FUELED BY STRONG POLEWARD OUTFLOW, LOW SHEAR AND WARM SSTS. HOWEVER, THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WILL BE SHORT-LIVED AND THE SYSTEM WILL STRUGGLE AGAINST DRY MID-LEVEL AIR ALONG THE WESTERN PERIPHERY. TD 21W REACHES ITS PEAK INTENSITY OF 50 KNOTS BY TAU 48, THEN BEGINS TO MOVE UNDER A FINGER OF THE SUBTROPICAL JET WHICH WILL INDUCE SHARPLY INCREASED SHEAR AND DRY AIR ENTRAINMENT, LEADING TO A RAPID WEAKENING PHASE. BY TAU 72, AS THE VORTEX DECOUPLES AND IS ENGULFED BY DRY MID-LEVEL AIR, PASSES ACROSS THE SUBTROPICAL JET FINGER AND MOVES UNDER AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW, IT BEGINS A RAPID SUBTROPICAL TRANSITION (STT). STT IS FORECAST TO BE COMPLETE NO LATER THAN TAU 96. MODEL DISCUSSION: TRACK GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE BULK OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. NAVGEM IS THE SOLE OUTLIER, SWITCHING BETWEEN TRACKING THE VORTEX ASSOCIATED WITH 21W AND 20W AND POSITIONED FAR TO THE WEST OF THE REMAINDER OF THE GUIDANCE. THE EMCWF TRACKER IS SIMILARLY HAVING DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING A LOCK ON THE VORTEX ASSOCIATED WITH 21W, THOUGH THE MODEL FIELDS PROVIDE A GOOD LOCK ON THE VORTEX AND SHOW A TRACK SIMILAR TO THE REMAINDER OF THE MODEL TRACKERS. THE CROSS-TRACK SPREAD AT TAU 96 IS APPROXIMATELY 150NM BETWEEN THE GALWEM ON THE WEST SIDE AND THE GFS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ENVELOPE. THE JTWC FORECAST IS PLACED CLOSE TO MODIFIED CONSENSUS WHICH DELETES THE NAVGEM AND ECMWF TRACKERS, WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. INTENSITY GUIDANCE IS GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT ON THE OVERALL INTENSITY TREND, WITH A RANGE OF PEAK INTENSITIES BETWEEN 45 KNOTS ON THE LOWER END (HAFS-A AND GFS) AND 65 KNOTS ON THE HIGH END (CTCX AND SHIPS-NAVGEM). THE JTWC FORECAST IS PLACED NEAR THE MULTI-MODEL CONSENSUS MEAN WITH MEDIUM CONFIDENCE. FORECAST CONFIDENCE: TRACK 00-72 HR: MEDIUM TRACK 72-120 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 00-72 HR: MEDIUM INTENSITY 72-120 HR: MEDIUM// NNNN
Products not available for West Pacific storms
- NEXRAD radar — no radar coverage over the open West Pacific.
- Storm-surge inundation — no public storm-surge model for this basin.
- Wind-speed probabilities — JTWC does not publish them.
- Watches and warnings — issued by local agencies (PAGASA, JMA, CWA), not JTWC.
- Reconnaissance aircraft — no routine aircraft reconnaissance in the West Pacific.
- Rapid-intensification and shear diagnostics — SHIPS-based guidance is not published for this basin.
These are data-availability limits for the West Pacific basin, not omissions.
Source: U.S. Navy/Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), via the UCAR Tropical Cyclone Guidance Project. JTWC data is in the public domain. · Updated 2026-08-27 03:10 UTC · JMA analysis: Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (10-minute average winds). Satellite imagery: CIRA/RAMMB.